University contributions go beyond the classroom

Universities bring more to communities than students and automobiles, and Oregon State University-Cascades already is going beyond the classroom in its contribution to Central Oregon.

That was clear the other day in the announcement that Onboard Dynamics Inc. likely will receive a $3.6 million federal grant to help it go commercial with a new natural-gas refueling system aimed at pickup trucks.

The system is the creation of Chris Hagen, an assistant professor at OSU-Cascades. Hagen found a way to modify cylinders of a vehicle’s engine so they can convert low-pressure natural gas into a compressed fuel and send it to the tank and also power the vehicle. Vehicles that burn natural gas are cheaper to fill and cleaner to operate than their standard counterparts. But compressed natural gas is not as readily available as gasoline is, making its use limited to areas in which the fuel can be found.

Enter Hagen.

His engine-modification design allows the natural gas found in many homes for heating and cooking to be pumped into a vehicle, compressed and burned. The system would greatly expand the range for natural-gas-fueled vehicles.

Central Oregonians are the immediate, if largely indirect, beneficiaries of Hagen’s creation. The company being developed to commercialize his design will rent space and hire people as it moves forward, adding local jobs in the process.

And while Onboard Dynamics may be a first in Central Oregon, it’s just one of more than 30 such spinoffs powered by OSU research in recent years. ...

– The Bulletin, Bend, May 27

Life goes on even as its quality erodes

Another May primary election, another defeat for a public safety tax proposal. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess.

Elected officials such as county commissioners and the sheriff, as well as private citizens groups like Securing Our Safety, will continue to look for ways to provide services with available funding. They will also continue to scrounge around in search of additional revenue. But the reality is that, for the foreseeable future, criminal justice services in this county will remain woefully inadequate.

Some people say they can arm and protect themselves. But there’s a lot more to public safety than dealing with home-invasion burglars. Responding to serious car crashes, quelling domestic disputes before they turn violent, dealing with at-risk juveniles. These types of problems and many more will continue to be inadequately addressed due to the lack of staffing at the Sheriff’s Office and the Juvenile Justice Center. All the privately owned guns in the county aren’t going to solve these issues. ...

The sun will rise tomorrow. We’ll all roll out of bed and go to work. Life will go on. Still, our lack of adequate funding for public safety is eroding our quality of life. ...

– Grants Pass Daily Courier, May 22